Minimising Business Waste at Halloween
There are several ways to minimise your Halloween business waste. Consider buying secondhand costumes, reusing old decorations, and recycling candy wrappers. In addition to avoiding single-use plastics, you can also recycle cardboard packaging. These tips will help you recycle Halloween waste, avoid littering your business’s grounds, and organise other commercial waste collections. Also, keep your business’s Halloween garbage bin as clean as possible when disposing of it in your commercial waste bins. After all, you don’t want to litter the environment with plastic from your commercial waste.
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Business Waste at Halloween: Buy Secondhand
Buying secondhand costumes is an excellent way to cut your costume spending without compromising quality. The best thing about a secondhand costume is its ability to last more than one Halloween, creating much less commercial waste! Plastic disposable costumes quickly become waste once the festivities are over and add to your commercial waste collections. Instead of buying new ones, visit a thrift store to purchase a high-quality secondhand costume. The thrift store will also accept used costumes so you can get rid of your business waste while helping the environment at the same time.
Here are some tips for making a secondhand Halloween costume:
Shop at thrift stores : Thrift stores are a great place to find unique and affordable items for your costume. Look for vintage pieces, such as dresses, suits, and hats, that can be used as a base for your costume.
Repurpose old clothing: T ake a look through your own wardrobe and see if you have any old clothing items that can be repurposed into a costume. For example, an old black dress can be used as the base for a witch costume, or an old pair of jeans can be transformed into a scarecrow costume.
Get creative with accessories: Accessories can make or break a costume. Look for hats, jewelry, scarves, and other accessories that can be used to enhance your costume. You can also make your own accessories, such as a paper mache mask or a cardboard shield.
Use makeup to enhance your look: Makeup can be a great way to add detail and depth to your costume. Look for makeup tutorials online or get inspiration from your favorite movies or TV shows.
DIY your costume: If you’re feeling crafty, consider making your own costume from scratch. Look for patterns and tutorials online, and use materials such as fabric, felt, and cardboard to bring your vision to life.
Remember, making a secondhand Halloween costume is not only an eco-friendly choice, but it can also be a fun and creative challenge. By using your imagination and shopping secondhand, you can create a unique and sustainable costume that’s sure to impress.
Business Waste at Halloween: Make Your Own Decorations
Old clothes and household items can serve as parts of a costume. You can also use natural household products such as face paint and warts for the finishing touches. Another alternative is to rent a costume. Fortunately, many thrift stores and yard sales have costume sections for renters and buyers. And once you’ve worn it once, you can save it to use again next year! Most secondhand costumes are made from materials such as polyester and oil-based materials.
The materials used for a Halloween costume also contain harmful plastic micro-fibres, which can harm aquatic life. A newer Halloween costume could just be what you need to save the planet. Purchasing secondhand costumes for Halloween is a great way to cut your costume budget and save the environment by producing far less commercial waste.
You’ll find a variety of secondhand costumes in thrift stores, both inexpensive and creative. Unlike pop-up Halloween stores, secondhand costumes can be a great way to get a fun and affordable costume. If you have kids, why not let them dress up for Halloween in a costume already used by someone else?
Business Waste at Halloween: Reuse Old Decorations
When buying Halloween decorations, check for reused items first. Paper and plastic decorations can be recycled or reused. Make sure to look for a recycling symbol that features a number. You can check with your local council to know which plastics they accept. Also, take out extra parts like batteries, so you don’t put out more waste than necessary. In addition, keep in mind that using glitter on your decorations is a wasteful practice and can create environmental problems.
You can find tons of old books in thrift stores.
You can buy old hardcover books in varying sizes.
The back and front of these books are solid so that you can stack them creatively.
Dark books create a depth effect in your holiday design, and they can also add a different height to your staging.
You can use decorative materials to create a ghostly scene.
The Ocean Conservancy has some great ideas for reusing old Halloween decorations. Single-use Halloween decorations are also a big waste problem. They take up resources and are often made of harmful materials. After Halloween, these decorations end up in landfills or litter. You can avoid this problem by using green Halloween decorations. These decorations are made from sustainable materials and last longer than plastic ones.
Business Waste at Halloween: Impacts on the UK
Some of the ways in which Halloween impacts waste in the UK include:
Single-use costumes and decorations: Many people buy new costumes and decorations each year, often made from synthetic materials that cannot be recycled or reused.
Food waste: Halloween treats such as candy and baked goods often come in single-use packaging, contributing to packaging waste. Additionally, many people buy more treats than they need, leading to food waste.
Pumpkins : Pumpkins are a popular symbol of Halloween, but they are also a source of waste. Many people buy pumpkins to carve into jack-o-lanterns, but these pumpkins often end up in landfill sites after Halloween.
However, there are ways to reduce the waste generated by Halloween. For example, people can opt for secondhand options instead of buying new costumes and decorations or making their own. They can also choose to buy treats sold in bulk to reduce packaging waste and compost their pumpkins after the holiday.
Overall, while Halloween does impact waste in the UK, there are ways to celebrate the holiday sustainably and reduce the amount of waste generated.
Business Waste at Halloween: What to Avoid
Regardless of your beliefs about Halloween, there are easy ways to minimise the business waste you create this season. To begin with, don’t place anything plastic in your recycling bin.
This includes wrapping paper, which is not recyclable. It’s made of a coating that prevents it from being processed into new paper.
Also, avoid placing Halloween decorations in your recycling bin. Candy wrappers aren’t recyclable and should be thrown out with other organic waste.
Plastic and cardboard are considered “mixed materials” in recycling facilities. Instead, use pillowcases to collect candy and treats. This way, you won’t have to worry about plastic bags, and you’ll be able to fit more in them. These pillowcases will also help you reuse them year-round. Finally, don’t put plastic bags in your recycling bin.
Also, if you do end up throwing candy, make sure you separate the cans from the recyclables.
Despite what most people think, you can still sustainably enjoy Halloween by avoiding the plastics in your costumes. You can also reuse them by making new ones from old clothes or old materials. You can even re-wear the old costume with new hairstyles and makeup, reducing your waste. You can even try using old newspapers for decorations, as they can be recycled in your recycling bin after use.
Business Waste at Halloween: How Much Does it Cost the UK?
According to a survey by the National Retail Federation, Halloween spending in the UK is estimated to be around £419 million in 2021, up from £291 million in 2020. The survey found that the average UK consumer plans to spend around £32 on Halloween-related items such as costumes, decorations, and candy.
The survey also found that most Halloween spending is on costumes, with an average spend of around £15 per person. Decorations and candy are the next most popular categories, with an average spend of around £8 and £6 per person, respectively. It’s worth noting that these figures are estimates, and actual spending on Halloween may vary depending on individual circumstances and preferences. Additionally, some people may choose to celebrate Halloween more sustainably, which could involve spending less money on single-use items and choosing to make their costumes and decorations instead.
Business Waste at Halloween: Reusing String Lights
If you’re selling string lights, consider recycling them as a part of your post-Halloween clean-up. Also, consider starting a Hallow-Cleaning campaign in your community that encourages people to pick up litter and debris at the end of the Halloween season. Once the Halloween festivities have concluded, consider donating your leftover decorations to a local thrift store.
Donating your unwanted decorations extends their use and keeps them out of landfills. However, do not recycle decorative string lights in your curbside recycling bin, as these can tangle with equipment and cause a mess. Instead, you can mail the string lights to a recycling program or e-waste drop-off site. If you’re still storing them for the next Halloween season, consider donating or reusing them for the following year.
Business Waste at Halloween – Learn more about UK business waste statistics here
Other useful links from our Commercial Waste Centre
Why Should Your Business Go Paperless?
Choosing a Garage Waste Management Service
Developing an EMS for Hazardous Waste
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